To achieve the OCFSN vision – that all Oregonians thrive with healthy, affordable foods from an environmentally and economically resilient regional food system – we need supportive public policy. At the local, state, and federal levels.
To get there, we need to build our skills for farm and food policy assessment and advocacy.
Our committee’s goal is to support Network members and working groups to inform and learn from each other about our diverse public policy goals. By doing this, we can build common cause, support each other’s policy priorities, and grow our collective voice.
What do we have planned for the 2021 Oregon Legislative Session?
During the 2021 legislative session, we are offering our members multiple ways to stay connected and to share information about legislative priorities:
- The OCFSN newsletter has a section for short updates on policy issues.
- Maintaining a “Community Food Systems at the Oregon Legislature” Matrix to document bills and budgets that members and partner organizations are tracking – You can access the Matrix here.
- Hosting “DEIJ in Public Policy’ workshops facilitated by Sara Curiel-Paez of Capacity Building Partnership.
- Hosting Policy Committee meetings, open to all OCFSN members, every two weeks to share updates about the session and information on specific bills and budgets.
- Planning an OCFSN Policy Forum (timing and format TBD).
Resources:
Webinars
Check out these informative advocacy webinars to learn more about the fundamentals of civic engagement and the scope of non-profit organizations working in the legislative process.
- Everyone’s an Advocate: Demystifying Advocacy: An “intro to advocacy” webinar from the Oregon Community Food Systems Network 2020 Convening, given by Nicole Forbes of Oregon Food Bank. Nicole explained the basics of civic engagement, engaging local legislators, and what we know so far about the 2021 legislative session. View the slides here.
- How to work on state legislation legally and effectively: A “how to” webinar we offered in 2019 about policy advocacy, explaining the legal rules for nonprofits AND some “rules of the road” from OCFSN members with experience at the Legislature. Download a PDF of the slides here.
2019 Community Food Systems at the Legislature
Learn about the food and farming bills we tracked in the 2019 legislative session by checking out our Post-legislative Roundup and watching these webinars:
- Bills to Watch For #1: Recording here and view slides here.
- Double Up Food Bucks, Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program, and Farm to School
- Bills to Watch For #2: Recording here and view slides here
- GE Patent Holder Liability, Oregon Hunger Response Fund, Farm-Direct Nutrition, and Clean Energy Jobs
- Bills to Watch For #3:,Watch recording here and view slides here.
- James Beard Public Market, Friends of Family Farmers, and Land Use (1000 Friends of Oregon)
Policy Resources
Guidance for nonprofit organizations on the rules of advocacy and lobbying:
- Public Charities Can Lobby
- Lobbying Guidelines for 501c3 Nonprofits
- Political Campaign Activities– Risk to Tax Exempt Status
- Lobbying and 501c3 Nonprofits
- Food Policy Councils and Lobbying
- Anybody can be an advocate: Measuring your council’s readiness to work on policy
- Administrative Advocacy: Influencing Rules, Regulations, and Executive Orders
- Advocacy and Lobbying
- Oregon Legislative Calendar
- Local food policy guide
- State food policy guide